The complimentary flavors of pumpkin and allspice come together in this easy, satisfying dessert. It is important to use genuine vanilla extract and not the artificially flavored ones.

Ingredients

½ cup granulated white sugar

½ cup light brown sugar, firmly packed

½ cup pumpkin puree

6 eggs

1 ½ cups milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¾ teaspoon allspice

Preheat the oven to 325° F.

Melt the sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until it caramelizes to a light brown color. Do not let it burn. Before it has a chance to harden, immediately pour it into an 8 inch flan mold, tilting to cover the bottom and halfway up the sides.

Whisk remaining ingredients in a bowl, pour into the flan mold and place the mold in a roasting pan with enough simmering water to come halfway up the sides of the mold. Cover tightly with the lid or with aluminum foil. Place in oven.

After 45 minutes, uncover the flan, insert a knife into it and check that it comes out clean. If not, recover and cook an additional 5 minutes or so. Cool on a wire rack and refrigerate overnight.

Run a hot knife around the sides of the mold and invert it onto a serving plate. Serves 8.

Follow Karen as she travels through the Central Mexican state of Puebla, meeting local cooks, tasting the food, and collecting recipes. With over 75 recipes, plus sections on ingredients and cooking techniques, the book takes the reader on a journey through one of Mexico's oldest and most renowned culinary regions. It can be ordered online.